The present invention relates to a manual connection for connecting two ducts intended to drive fluid, such as a liquid under pressure.
The present invention may apply to any industrial field requiring a manual connection, with repeated opening and closing, for the transfer of fluids. Particularly, the present invention may apply to dismountable circuits such as flexible pipes or fluid bridges. Particularly, the present invention may apply to the liquid-processing, cosmetics, biology and fine chemicals fields.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,274A or U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,267A discloses a widespread manual connection which has a male element with two retaining parts and a female element receiving the first connection element. The second connection element includes two cams disposed in the second connection element and displaceable in rotation between a tightening position, where they collaborate with the retaining parts, and a loosening position, where they release the retaining parts. The manual connection of U.S. Pat. No. 386,027A or U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,267A comprises two gripping members, in the form of levers, which are configured to respectively and independently displace the tightening cams between the tightening position and the loosening position. When an operator activates one of the gripping members, the corresponding tightening cam rotates around a direction of rotation which is tangential with the female element, hence to its fluid passage section.
However, the arrangement of the tightening cams makes it necessary for the operator to carry out at least two successive maneuvers in order to tighten the manual connection of U.S. Pat. No. 386,027A or U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,267A. In fact, the operator must turn a gripping member in order to tighten a tightening cam, then he/she must turn the other gripping member in order to tighten the other tightening cam. Hence, the manual connection of U.S. Pat. No. 386,027A or U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,267A induces relatively long manual connections, thereby slowing down the industrial production, particularly in the case where the manual connections to be maneuvered are numerous like for a fluid bridge.